Honda in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for 2004-2008 model year Acura TSXes registered in select states that see heavy use from corrosive deicing substances.

The issue lies in the buildup of these deicing substances in the padding for the floor pans under the driver side, which is also where the engine’s ECU sits. The corrosive materials can cause an electrical contact to rust, which may cause a complete failure of the ECU.
Honda will begin notifying owners and will have all the cars affected fixed free of charge. The campaign is set to begin on April 11, 2013.

Honda is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Acura TSX vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In states that use corrosive materials for deicing, driver’s footwear may bring in materials that saturate the vehicle’s carpeting, which is in contact with the vehicle’s engine Electronic Control Unit (ECU). As a result, the ECU case may experience rust or corrosion. This damage may potentially cause the engine to stall.

CONSEQUENCE:

A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

REMEDY:

Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any damaged ECU, free of charge. All vehicles will have a waterproof cover installed onto the ECU, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on April 11, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.